Rain comes in many forms. It can be a downpour that leaves you soaked; a shower that leaves you damp, or a mist that leaves you regretting you did not bring an umbrella. Folks in Seattle even call a heavy fog a version of rain!
Rain is also a metaphor for a service experience that leaves a customer disappointed.
Every organization in the world knows a soaking disappointment is a no-no. The customer’s ire is unmistakable. Some rant and rave vowing never to return. They turn to social media to trash you to all who will notice. Fortunately, customers don’t get soaked very often.
Customer disappointment that dampens are those hiccups that have “but” accompanying a feature with redeeming value. “Their food is very good, but….,” or “I liked their location, but…” It leads to mixed customer reviews. It leads to customers actively making a different choice the next time you are considered. They will ding you on a survey if asked.
The most damaging type of disappointment is the misty kind.
That’s when there is a minor disappointment not severe enough to spark a reaction unless prompted. It is the type that triggers silent departure—the customer leaves, and you never know the reason. But, there is a way to keep mist-based departures from happening. Just like real rain, you need the umbrella of feedback—proactive feedback. This does not mean a survey weeks after the fact when the customer is least likely to complete it or be candid, and the memory of the tipping point has long faded. It means an umbrella when the customer is wet!
Never ask a customer a closed question if your goal is candid feedback.
“How was everything?” produces a fake answer just like the query, “Good morning, how are you?” Do you really tell the truth or do you treat the question as merely a greeting? Never get defensive no matter how the customer answers. Ask, “What is one thing we could do to improve our service?” If the customer says, “Everything is fine,” smile and ask, “If you were to make something up, what would it be about?” If there is still no response, let it go. However, if there is an answer—any answer, ask a follow-up question. It shows you care and you learn a lot more.
Research has shown that at any moment in time a percentage of your customers are feeling the rain. Yet, you only hear from a tiny percentage of “wet customers.” Don’t wait for the customer’s disappearance; get out your feedback umbrella and learn ways you can bring your customers more sunshine!